Modular box for housing and protecting equipment

Abstract

The present invention relates to an enclosure (10) for housing and protecting electronic, electromechanical, and / or electro-fluidic equipment, comprising: - a parallelepiped frame (20) having longitudinal members, cross members, and uprights; - at least one watertight cover (40) mounted on the frame (20) to delimit an enclosure (12) intended to house the electronic, electromechanical, and / or electro-fluidic equipment, the at least one cover (40) comprising a fabric (42). The at least one cover (40) is removably mounted on the frame (20).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a housing for the containment and protection of electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluidic equipment, comprising: a parallelepiped frame comprising stringers, crossbeams and uprights; at least one waterproof cover mounted on the frame to delimit an enclosure intended to house electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluidic equipment, at least one cover including a sheet.

[0002] Such a container is also called a tactical container.

[0003] Such an enclosure is designed for deployment in harsh environments, such as jungles, deserts, and polar regions. These environments are considered harsh because they present weather conditions that increase the risk of failure for the electronic, electromechanical, and / or electro-fluidic equipment that the enclosure is intended to protect. For example, humidity levels, the presence of sand and / or dust, and ambient temperature can, in certain situations, be detrimental to electronics.

[0004] Furthermore, such an enclosure is designed to withstand substantial mechanical stresses, particularly vibration and / or shock. These mechanical stresses also increase the risk of equipment failure that the enclosure is intended to protect.

[0005] Nowadays, it is known that such chambers are manufactured specifically for predetermined conditions. The chambers therefore incorporate certain equipment tailored to these conditions. Consequently, such a chamber cannot be used in any environment other than the one intended for its design.

[0006] One aim of the invention is therefore to offer a box capable of being used in different environments with varied conditions, said box being easily adaptable according to needs.

[0007] For this purpose, the invention relates to a box of the aforementioned type, in which at least one cover is mounted removably on the frame.

[0008] Thanks to this invention, the enclosure is modular. At least one cover can be attached or removed as needed. This allows the enclosure to be adapted to the conditions encountered in the field. When a cover is required, it is attached to the frame. When the cover is not needed (for example, to increase heat exchange between the equipment and the outside of the enclosure), it can be removed.

[0009] According to other advantageous aspects of the invention, the enclosure comprises one or more of the following features, taken individually or in all technically possible combinations: The frame comprises a plurality of mechanical connecting elements linking the stringers, cross members, and uprights to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame; the mechanical connecting elements comprise at least one damping element configured to dampen shocks experienced by the casing; the at least one cover comprises a plurality of damping elements arranged so that the damping elements extend to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame when the at least one cover is mounted on the frame; each of the damping elements comprises at least one stacking element configured to allow the casing to be stacked on an auxiliary casing substantially identical to the casing or the auxiliary casing to be stacked on the casing; the damping elements are removably mounted on the fabric of the at least one cover;The cover of at least one enclosure comprises: an appearance layer intended to at least partially camouflage the enclosure; and / or a faradizing layer intended to protect the enclosure from electromagnetic waves external to the enclosure and to prevent the emission of waves from inside the enclosure to the outside of the enclosure; and / or a thermal insulation layer intended to reduce heat exchange between the enclosure and the outside of the enclosure; at least one cover includes at least one fastening device intended to allow the enclosure to be held in position in its environment by attaching at least one fastening device; at least one cover comprises a first portion and a second portion that can be arranged between: an assembled configuration in which the first portion and the second portion are arranged on the frame and connected by a tight-fitting closure mechanism in order to delimit the enclosure;a disassembled configuration in which the first portion and the second portion are separated from each other; at least one cover includes at least one front panel with a flap, the flap being movable between: a deployed configuration in which the flap covers an access hole to the enclosure; a retracted configuration in which the flap extends away from the access hole to allow access to the enclosure.

[0010] The invention will become clearer upon reading the following description, given solely by way of non-limiting example, and made with reference to the drawings in which: [ Fig. 1 ] there figure 1 is a simplified schematic illustration of a box frame according to the invention; [ Fig. 2 ] there figure 2 is a simplified schematic illustration of the casing of the figure 1 , in which a cover is mounted on the frame of the figure 1 ; Fig. 3 ] there figure 3 is a simplified schematic illustration of a tablecloth from the cover of the figure 2 , in cross-section.

[0011] With reference to figures 1 à 3 , a box 10 according to the invention is disclosed.

[0012] The enclosure 10 is designed to house and protect electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluid equipment. For example, the enclosure 10 is designed to house IT-type equipment (“ Information Technology » in English).

[0013] For example, such equipment has standard dimensions, including the 19-inch format. Specifically, such equipment complies with IEC 60297-3-108:2014 and / or DIN 41494-8 and / or EIA 310-D standards.

[0014] Such equipment requires, for example, protection against water, sand, and dust, heat and cold, and / or impacts. When deployed in certain environments, such equipment may also need to be camouflaged to make visual detection more difficult.

[0015] The enclosure 10 is designed to provide this protection. Furthermore, the enclosure 10 is subject to a significant weight constraint, as such an enclosure must be easily transportable by an operator.

[0016] The box 10 includes a frame 20 and at least one cover 40.

[0017] The 10-unit enclosure conforms to NATO standard STANAG 4370.

[0018] The framework 20 is parallelepiped-shaped.

[0019] The framework 20 gives the box 10 its shape (that of a parallelepiped, in particular a rectangular parallelepiped or right-angled block) and its mechanical strength.

[0020] The frame 20 includes stringers 22, crossbeams 24 and uprights 26. Advantageously, the stringers 22, crossbeams 24 and uprights 26 form the sides of the parallelepiped formed by the frame 20.

[0021] For example, the stringers 22 and / or the crossbeams 24 and / or the uprights 26 are profiles, in particular formed from a metallic material, having a straight L-shaped section. Alternatively, the section of the profiles is other, for example square, rectangular, circular, U-shaped, etc.

[0022] Advantageously, the spars 22 include a telescopic mechanical assembly allowing the length of the spars 22 to be adapted according to requirements.

[0023] For example, the frame 20 also includes a plurality of mechanical connecting elements 28 linking the longitudinal members 22, the cross members 24, and the uprights 26 to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame 20. In particular, as illustrated on the figure 1 , the mechanical connecting elements 28 form the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the framework 20.

[0024] In particular, each mechanical connecting element 28 links a longitudinal member 22 with a cross member 24 and a post 26.

[0025] Advantageously, each mechanical connecting element 28 is removably mounted on the longitudinal members 22, the cross members 24, and the uprights 26. Each mechanical connecting element 28 is thus replaceable when necessary. For example, when an operator wishes to replace one or more mechanical connecting elements 28, they replace them one by one, the overall structure of the frame 20 being maintained in a parallelepiped shape by the remaining mounted mechanical connecting elements 28.

[0026] Advantageously, the mechanical connecting members 28 include at least one damping element 30 configured to dampen shocks and falls suffered by the box 10. For example, the at least one damping element 30 is formed of an architected or fusible material and is intended to be deformed when a certain force is applied to the frame 20 to absorb the shock energy.

[0027] For example, each mechanical connecting element 28 includes at least one damping element 30.

[0028] For example, each mechanical connecting element 28 includes connecting elements such as bolts, screws, etc. The connecting elements cooperate in particular with the longitudinal members 22, cross members 24 and uprights 26 to connect them together.

[0029] At least one 40-inch cover is waterproof. Specifically, at least one 40-inch cover has an IP65 protection rating according to standard EN 60529.

[0030] At least one cover 40 is mounted on the frame 20 to delimit an enclosure 12 from the box 10, intended to house the electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluidic equipment. In particular, the box 10 is devoid of any other enclosure element delimiting the enclosure 12.

[0031] In particular, at least one cover 40 covers, in particular entirely, the frame 20.

[0032] In particular, at least one cover 40 is suitable to completely cover the speaker 12.

[0033] At least one cover 40 is mounted in a removable manner on the frame 20.

[0034] At least one cover 40 includes a tablecloth 42.

[0035] Advantageously, at least one cover 40 includes a first portion 50 and a second portion 52.

[0036] Even more advantageously, at least one cover 40 includes at least one front 56 with a flap 58.

[0037] Even more advantageously, at least one cover 40 also includes a plurality of damping elements 62.

[0038] Even more advantageously, at least one cover 40 includes at least one attachment device 66.

[0039] For example, tablecloth 42 includes: an appearance layer 44 intended to camouflage at least partially the enclosure 10; and / or a faradizing layer 46 intended to protect the enclosure 12 from external electromagnetic waves to the enclosure 10 and to prevent the emission of waves from inside the enclosure 12 to the outside of the enclosure 12; and / or a thermal insulation layer 48 intended to reduce heat exchange between the enclosure 12 and the outside of the enclosure 10.

[0040] In the example of the figure 3 The layer 42 comprises an appearance layer 44, a faradizing layer 46, and a thermal insulation layer 48. Naturally, the invention also relates to enclosures 10 in which the layer 42 comprises one or more of the layers 44, 46, and 48, according to the various possible combinations. The invention also relates to enclosures 10 in which the same layer of the layer 42 has an appearance function and / or a faradizing function and / or a thermal insulation function.

[0041] Advantageously, the 42 layer is in a prestressed state. Furthermore, for example, the 42 layer exhibits at every point a tensile stress along two directions of weft and warp of the fibers composing the 42 layer, and a double reverse curvature.

[0042] The 42 web, for example, exhibits a breaking strength according to the EN ISO 1421 standard and according to warp and weft directions of the 42 web between 600 daN / 5cm and 1200 daN / 5cm, in particular between 800 daN / 5cm and 1000 daN / 5cm, especially in a prestressed state.

[0043] Another advantage is that the 42 tablecloth is waterproof. In particular, the 42 tablecloth has an IP65 protection rating according to the EN 60529 standard.

[0044] The first portion 50 of the cover 40 includes in particular a first portion of tablecloth 42.

[0045] The second portion 52 of the cover 40 includes in particular a second portion of tablecloth 42.

[0046] The first section 50 and the second section 52 of cover 40 can be arranged between: an assembled configuration in which the first portion 50 and the second portion 52 of cover 40 are arranged on the frame 20 and connected by a watertight closing mechanism 54 of the cover 40 in order to delimit the enclosure 12; a disassembled configuration in which the first portion 50 and the second portion 52 of cover 40 are apart from each other.

[0047] For example, the 54 waterproof closure mechanism includes a zipper, a snap closure, a hook and loop closure or other.

[0048] For example, as illustrated on the figure 2 , the first portion 50 of cover 40 forms a first half of parallelepiped and the second portion 52 of cover 40 forms a second half of parallelepiped complementary to the first half of parallelepiped, the first and second halves of parallelepiped being separated by a plane parallel to at least one facade 56.

[0049] At least one face 56 of the cover 40, including the flap 58, forms, for example, a small face of the parallelepiped formed by the housing 10. By "small face," it is understood that the parallelepiped is a rectangular parallelepiped (or cuboid), and that the small face is one of the two smaller faces of the cuboid. In particular, the small faces of the parallelepiped are arranged opposite portions of the equipment that form interfaces with the operator, that is, portions of the equipment with which the operator is intended to interact, for example, for the maintenance, repair, and / or adjustment of the equipment.

[0050] The flap 58 is advantageously a portion of tablecloth 42 that can be moved between: a deployed configuration in which the flap 58 covers an access opening 14 to the enclosure 12; a retracted configuration ( figure 2 ) in which the flap 58 extends away from the access opening 14 to allow access to the enclosure 12.

[0051] Thus, by manipulating flap 58, the operator can easily access the equipment and in particular the portions of the equipment that form an interface with the operator.

[0052] For example, as illustrated on the figure 2 , the flap 58 is rollable so that in the deployed configuration, the flap 58 is unrolled over the access port 14 and in the retracted configuration, the flap 58 is rolled away from the access port 14.

[0053] According to one particular example, two opposite sides of cover 40 each have such a flap.

[0054] Advantageously, the cover 40 also includes a waterproof closure mechanism 60 configured to allow the flap 58 to remain in the deployed configuration.

[0055] The presence of such a flap 58 makes it possible to do without a removable lid, which could be lost when removed.

[0056] Advantageously, the damping elements 62 are arranged so that the damping elements 62 extend to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame 20 when at least one cover 40 is mounted on the frame 20.

[0057] Specifically, the damping elements 62 are intended to be interposed between the frame 20 and a surface on which the box 10 rests, or between the frame 20 and objects in the vicinity of the box 10 with which the box 10 is likely to come into contact. Thus, the damping elements 62 are configured to absorb shocks between the box 10, in particular the frame 20, and the surface on which the box 10 rests, or between the box 10, in particular the frame 20, and other objects surrounding the box 10.

[0058] For example, the damping elements 62 each include at least one stacking element 64 configured to allow the box 10 to be stacked on top of an auxiliary box substantially identical to the box 10, or the auxiliary box to be stacked on top of the box 10. For example, the stacking element 64 is a substantially flat surface with a non-slip texture. In particular, the stacking element 64 has a male or female geometry and, through the interaction of a stacking element 64 with a male geometry from a first box and a stacking element 64 with a female geometry from a second box, ensures stable stacking of the second box on top of the first box.

[0059] Advantageously, the damping elements 62 are made of a damping material, for example of an elastomeric material.

[0060] Even more advantageously, the damping devices 62 include at least one damping element configured to dampen the shocks suffered by the casing 10. For example, at least one damping element 62 is formed of an architected or fusible material and is intended to be deformed to absorb the energy of the shocks.

[0061] For example, the structured material is obtained by 3D printing. In particular, the structured material, through its geometry, allows it to absorb mechanical energy through local buckling of the material's mesh.

[0062] Alternatively, the damping elements 62 are formed by a single layer of foam or by a plurality of superimposed layers of foam, each layer having a different hardness. Such a superposition of layers makes it possible to cover a vibration spectrum of interest compared to the vibration profiles to which the enclosure 10 is subjected.

[0063] Even more advantageously, the damping elements 62 are mounted removably on the sheet 42 of at least one cover 40.

[0064] For example, the damping elements 62 are clippable and unclippable onto the tablecloth 42 of at least one cover 40.

[0065] At least one attachment element 66 is advantageously designed to allow the enclosure 10 to be held in position within its environment. For example, at least one attachment element 66 is a ring to which a tethering rope can be attached.

[0066] Optionally, one or more handles are attached to the cover 40, for example, sewn onto the cover 40. These handles facilitate the transport of the container 10, for example, by allowing the container to be secured, particularly in the context of transport in an aircraft. For example, the handles are made of a textile material, in particular a textile material comprising polyethylene fibers, for example Dyneema®.

[0067] Thanks to the invention, the 10 box can be easily adapted to suit the varied needs imposed by different environments in which the 10 box is intended to be deployed.

[0068] The mechanical connecting elements 28 of the frame 20, the sheet 42 of the cover 40 and the damping elements 62 of the cover 40 are mounted in a removable manner so that they can be easily replaced if necessary.

[0069] This allows the 10-unit enclosure to be modulated to optimize its weight and size according to needs, without requiring the manufacture of a multitude of enclosures adapted for each situation.

Claims

1. Enclosure (10) for housing and protecting electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluidic equipment, comprising: - a parallelepiped frame (20) including stringers (22), cross members (24) and uprights (26); - at least one waterproof cover (40) mounted on the frame (20) to delimit an enclosure (12) intended to house the electronic, electromechanical and / or electro-fluidic equipment, at least one cover (40) including a sheet (42); characterized in that at least one cover (40) is mounted removably on the frame (20).

2. Box (10) according to claim 1, in which the frame (20) comprises a plurality of mechanical connecting members (28) linking the stringers (22), the cross members (24) and the uprights (26) to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame (20).

3. Casing (10) according to claim 2, wherein the mechanical connecting members (28) include at least one damping element (30) configured to dampen the shocks suffered by the casing (10).

4. Casing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one cover (40) comprises a plurality of damping elements (62) arranged so that the damping elements (62) extend to the vertices of the parallelepiped formed by the frame (20) when at least one cover (40) is mounted on the frame (20).

5. Box (10) according to claim 4, wherein the damping members (62) each comprise at least one stacking element (64) configured to allow stacking of the box (10) on an auxiliary box substantially identical to the box (10) or stacking of the auxiliary box on the box (10).

6. Casing (10) according to claim 4 or 5, in which the damping elements (62) are removably mounted on the sheet (42) of at least one cover (40).

7. Enclosure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fabric (42) of at least one cover (40) comprises: - an appearance layer (44) intended to camouflage at least partially the enclosure (10); and / or - a faradizing layer (46) intended to protect the enclosure (12) from electromagnetic waves external to the enclosure (10) and to prevent the emission of waves from inside the enclosure (12) to the outside of the enclosure (12); and / or - a thermal insulation layer (48) intended to reduce heat exchange between the enclosure (12) and the outside of the enclosure (10).

8. Casing (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one cover (40) includes at least one attachment member (66) intended to allow the casing (10) to be held in position in its environment by attaching at least one attachment member (66).

9. A box (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, in which at least one cover (40) comprises a first portion (50) and a second portion (52) which can be arranged between: - an assembled configuration in which the first portion (50) and the second portion (52) are arranged on the frame (20) and connected by a watertight closing mechanism (54) in order to delimit the enclosure (12); - a disassembled configuration in which the first portion (50) and the second portion (52) are separated from each other.

10. Enclosure (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein at least one cover (40) comprises at least one front panel (56) having a flap (58), the flap (58) being movable between: - a deployed configuration in which the flap (58) covers an access opening (14) to the enclosure; - a retracted configuration in which the flap (58) extends away from the access opening (14) to allow access to the enclosure (12).

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